How to create a butterfly garden

A butterfly garden is the best way to enjoy beautiful butterflies. The plants in one will draw theses wondrous creatures to your yard. They are so much fun to watch as they flitter around through the flowers. You will be able to sit out in your yard and just relax while watching them. But how do you plan one of these butterfly gardens? Read on to find out...

Location

Location is everything when laying out butterfly gardens. If you place them near heavy-traffic areas then the people walking around will scare off the butterflies. You need to set them far enough away from the house and pathways that the butterflies feel safe coming to your gardens. Also, these gardens need to be in full sun but some shade at the right time of day might be tolerated.

 Plants

There are a number of plants that can go into a butterfly garden. One of the most popular ones is the butterfly bush, it is of the buddleia family, and the genus for most of the ones you find in the nurseries is buddleia davidii. These particular bushes can survive the cold to -20 degrees F. Colder than they can lose their leaves and freeze all the way to the soil. However, they can still come back in the spring. This type of plant is easy to grow and does not require a rich soil. It can thrive in a soil that is in moderate condition and grow to heights of 6 to 15 feet. We will discuss some of the various types of butterfly bushes later. Let's go on to soil preparation.

Soil Preparation

 Once you know the location of your butterfly gardens, you must prepare the soil for planting. Dig down a bit past the depth of the pot the bush is in at the nursery. Break up the soil thoroughly. Then dig holes the depth and a bit wider than the plants are in their pots. Also allow about 6 feet in between each bush so they have room to spread out as they grow. Add some compost if you feel the soil needs it. Remember though, the soil does not have to be overly rich for these plants to survive.

Planting

Once the soil is prepared, place the butterfly bush in the hole and cover with soil. Pat down the soil to get any air pockets out. Not water in thoroughly. You can also mulch to hold in the water.

Watch Them Grow

You can see as much as 5 to 6 feet of growth in the first year with butterfly bushes. It does not take long for your butterfly garden to be in bloom. Keep the spent blooms trimmed off so the bushes continue to produce their flowers. Water these bushes when the ground is dry, they are drought resistance so they do not need to be watered constantly.

To Prepare for Cold Weather

 After your butterfly bushes in your butterfly gardens have finished their growing season, it is time to get them ready for cold weather. You can trim them as far back as 3 feet above the ground. In real cold climates, mulch them too. In the spring, these bushes might look dead but give them a month or two and you will see them come back to life. If you need to trim the dead branches, do it at this time.

Butterflies

 The butterflies that your butterfly garden will attract will be dependent on the area of the country you live in. Check with your local nurseries or extension service to see which ones appear in your area.

Some Types of Butterfly Bushes

 Below you will find some of the types of butterfly bushes available for your butterfly gardens.

 Examples of Zone-5 Bushes

Twilight is a good species for drought areas. It is extra resistant to it in fact. The growth on this type is dense and it is more tolerant of heat while in bloom. The flowers are dark purple. It grows to about 10 feet. Royal Red is another one good to zone 5. It only grows to around 6 feet. The flowers do not grow as long and are toward maroon rather than the red in its name.

Example of a Zone-8 Bush

 Himalayan Butterfly Bush has very gray, soft leaves. The flowers are lilac; this variety needs the warmer winters to survive.

 Tags: butterfly bush butterfly bushes butterfly garden buddleia buddleia davidii butterfly gardens